For the first time the union government has conducted industrial profile and skill mapping to ascertain where MSME industries could be set up.

Skill training was being provided to youths so that they as well the industry could know about each other’s requirement, Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Kalraj Mishra said here.

Mishra, a Lok Sabha member from Deoria district in Uttar Pradesh, said priority was being given to UP and requested the state government to extend necessary cooperation.

At the same time, he was critical of the Samajwadi Party government for the “slow progress” in utilization of central funds for development of MSME industries.

He said his Ministry was making efforts to promote two major schemes ASPIRE and Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP).

Under PMEGP, he said, 30,708 units have been set up between 2008-2014 under which 3.1 lakh unemployed got job opportunities and added that in the last six years the Centre has given a grant of Rs 986 crores to UP under the programme.

Mishra said in financial year 2015-2016 the Centre has given a grant of Rs 120 crore to the state for setting up 5978 units to provide employment employment to 47,824 people.

However, he said, the UP government could spend only Rs 92.84 crore of the total grant, which he said was “a slow progress”.

To questions from mediapersons, Mishra, who was here to inaugurate the PMEGP state level workshop, dismissed the repeated accusations of Uttar Pradesh government of non-cooperation by the BJP-led central government.

“The state assembly elections are forthcoming and if they won’t criticise the Center, then how shall they do (politics),” he said, answering a question regarding the state accusing the Center of non-assistance.

Stating that the current central government has released more funds for UP than any other regime, he said, “When they are unable to utilize the funds given earlier, then how can the Center be blamed for that?”

Asked whether he was ready to be the face of BJP in 2017 UP assembly elections, Mishra said there were several faces in the party, who could be the chief minister.

“Our preparations for the UP polls are good,” he said.

“Inaugurated PMEGP State level workshop by paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi & lighting the lamp,” Mishra wrote on the micro-blogging site Twitter.

The workshop was held at Ganna Sansthan Auditorium in the state capital. Anup K Pujari, Secretary, Ministry of MSME was also present at the event.